Liverpool’s squad has never been stronger, with Jurgen Klopp admitting it is the best he has ever managed. Boasting greater depth than ever before, it’s why the Reds have been able to challenge for an unprecedented quadruple this year.
Yet despite the quality they possess in reserve, allowing the German to regularly rotate his side and still have faith in his side to win, his strongest starting XI still arguably picks itself for the majority, with only one or two places up for debates. And while some key players won’t start every week as Klopp manages their legs, there are also a couple of Liverpool stars who are guaranteed to start practically every match when fit regardless.
Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Mohamed Salah are arguably the first three names on the Reds’ teamsheet and are certain to start the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris later this month. Or at least they were before suffering recent injuries.
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The Reds are confident the trio should return in time, with Klopp playing down the severity of their setbacks after seeing the Brazilian pick up a hamstring injury against Aston Villa, and the Egyptian and Dutchman, who did both say they could carry on, limp off with groin and knee issues in the FA Cup final. Yet they all sat out the midweek victory over Southampton and are doubts to face Wolves this weekend, with the club understandably reluctant to risk them before the Champions League final.
But come May 28 in Paris and it seems inconceivable that the trio won’t be patched up and asked to go again one more time on the biggest of occasions, assuming the risk of selecting Van Dijk, Fabinho and Salah isn’t seen as too great. After all, the Dutchman and Egyptian are two of only three players to have started all eight finals since they moved to Anfield in 2017/18, along with Andy Robertson, while the Brazilian has started all five finals he has been available for since his own move to Merseyside in the summer of 2018.
It is perhaps telling that, given Liverpool have been rather fortuitous with injuries over the second half of the season and certainly in contrast to current campaigns, it is this go-to trio, who are predominantly immune to rotation, that have suffered setbacks as the most torturous of years comes to an end.
Featuring in 50 of the Reds’ 61 fixtures to date this season, Van Dijk has started all 50 while Salah has started 44 of his 49 appearances, with only his mid-season excursions at the Africa Cup of Nations preventing him from playing more, while he has certainly appeared fatigued in the second half of the season. Meanwhile, Fabinho has started 40 of his 47 appearances, and has sat out just two Premier League fixtures since the middle of December while playing in all 12 of the Reds' Champions League matches.
The only other outfield players to start more than the Brazilian are Joel Matip, Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane. Yet they have been regularly rotated with the likes of Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez and Liverpool’s plethora of midfield and attacking options, while the Reds skipper and Diogo Jota have made more appearances than any other, but with a significant number coming from the bench.
Popular physio Christopher Rohrbeck returned to the club on a short-term contract earlier this month to aid Fabinho, Salah and Van Dijk in their respective rehabilitations as they look to return in time for the trip to Paris. But their injuries have only proven Klopp right at the worst possible time.
The German has repeatedly criticised the football calendar for not considering player welfare, insisting the top players play far too much football and aren’t given enough time to recover. While he has often been criticised himself by outsiders for 'ranting' or 'moaning', that hasn’t stopped him from speaking out with the Reds boss taking issue with the quick turnaround between the FA Cup final and Liverpool’s clash with Southampton and the June international break in the last week alone.
“The reason I am not in such a good mood when I speak about UEFA is because of the Nations League,” he explained at his FA Cup final pre-match press conference.
“"I still think it is one of the most ridiculous ideas in the world of football because now we finish a season where [some] players have played more than 70 games, easily - club games 63 or 64, plus internationals - and then go direct to 75, which is pretty mad and we continue with Nations League games because we have to play them [when] there is no tournament, who cares we play four, five or six games with the national teams.”
“It's tough but it's better you moan and argue when you have won something than when you lose,” he then said ahead of facing Southampton when taking issue with the game being played so soon after the FA Cup final. “That's why I use the opportunity! There are two more matchdays in this week.
“We played Saturday and it was possible we would play 120 minutes, and they thought the best day for us to play the next game was the Tuesday. You could have given us the Wednesday, theoretically, but I don't think that was possible because of the Europa League final. UEFA, my friends.
“Then Thursday maybe? We could have played Thursday, a 90-minute game, then Sunday which is the last matchday, which is a normal rhythm when you play Europa League, you play Thursday-Sunday.
“But nobody thought we could give them a day more rest. I will sit here and say it and people will say, 'Stop whining!' No-one else is doing it, you don't think about it for a second. 'It's tough, huh? Maybe it would be better if you play on Thursday.' 120 minutes and then Tuesday, come on. It's massive."
Of course, Klopp is well-aware the strain his squad is currently under is also entirely their own doing as they chase an unprecedented quadruple, with Liverpool aware it is the price of success, having to play the maximum 63 matches if they want to win four trophies. And he doesn’t bemoan that fact.
From the camp itself, Fabinho recently admitted that the Reds squad are understandably mentally and physical tired as the season catches up with them.
“I think I can speak a little general. We are very tired,” he told AS . “It's true because we've been playing on weekends and during the week for a month now, always game after game and important games, which makes you physically and mentally tired as well.
“But this team worked very hard to get here, to this point in the season with a chance of winning all four trophies. There are few games left, there is a final sprint.”
These recent injuries, coming ahead of the Champions League final at the end of such a season, only reiterates the German’s entire argument when it comes to the lack of thought given to player welfare.
Yet despite such concerns from Klopp, the strain on players is only going to grow with the Champions League expanding in 2024/25, the World Cup expanding to 48 teams in 2026 as suggestions of it being held biennially continue and there still plans to introduce a summer 24-team FIFA Club World Cup.
"It's tough, huh?” Klopp won’t stop whining with his passionate pleas regarding player welfare a regular occurrence over recent seasons. But the German already knows that no-one that can make a difference is listening.
Instead he’ll prepare his team for the Champions League final and look to ignite a second quadruple challenge in 2022/23, well aware such an effort takes a bit of luck with injuries as they have had in the end this season. Sure, Fabinho, Salah and Van Dijk are feeling the wear and tear of their efforts at a time when Liverpool need them more than ever.
But Klopp will be relieved that they still have a chance of being fit to play in Paris as this mammoth campaign nears its end. The trophies won are worthwhile compensation for such setbacks, but the German is well aware next time the Reds might not be so lucky.
